It’s more important than ever to be aware of your online reputation. Review sites and apps make it easy for anyone to express their opinion about your business. Reviews don’t just affect your reputation. They can provide a long-lasting boost or drop in your business.
Why Should I Be Concerned About Reviews?
- The majority of consumers use reviews before making a decision.
- Negative reviews are inevitable.
- Reviews improve your visibility and SEO.
Reviews Create Trust
Potential clients are turning to online reviews to determine if your business is trustworthy. According to a 2016 BrightLocal Consumer Review Survey, “90% of consumers read 10 reviews or less before they feel that they can trust a business.”
Reviews are “social proof,” or our human tendency to believe there’s strength in numbers or that’s logical to follow the crowd. We’re more likely to trust a business if others have told us it’s trustworthy.
The BrightLocal survey also found that 84% of consumers take reviews as seriously as personal recommendations, making them a powerful force.
Negative Reviews Hurt
People are more likely to share a negative experience than a positive one. According to a study from Marketing Charts, 95% customers shared a bad experience they’ve had with a business, but only 87% shared a good experience.
Customers who had a bad experience were also 50% more likely to share it on social media. So actively soliciting positive reviews is vital to make up for the difference.
Visibility Online and Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Having positive local reviews is important for your company, even if you’re not an online business. That’s because reviews have a tremendous effect on SEO. And Google holds the reins.
There are thousands of review websites. But Google Reviews outweigh any other site.
In order of importance, you should consider:
- Google reviews
- Industry-relevant review sites
- All other review sites
Google is often the first filter between you and a potential customer. Businesses with good reviews will rank higher in search results, especially local searches. For example, someone searching for a restaurant in Orlando will see the businesses with the best Google review first, with several user reviews to back it up.
So with all their potential benefits, how can you capitalize on reviews and control your reputation?
Reputation Management Strategies
- Claim or verify your profiles.
- Add your information and correct any inaccuracies.
- Actively ask for reviews.
- Respond to negative reviews.
But before you can take any of these steps, you should check on the status of your online reputation.
At Empowered Pulse, we specialize in reputation management. Read more about our service and learn how you can get started with a free audit of your business.